Page 76 of Bestie's Bossy Billionaire Brother
“It doesn’t matter,” he replies shortly, turning toward his home office. “I need to get some work done.” He stands up abruptly and stares at me for a moment before heading upstairs to his office.
I sit there, my heart thumping in my chest as I watch him go. I know it’s foolish of me to think that I could soothe his anger. All I can do now is wait until he calms down and hope that things will be okay between us once again.
I slowly make my way upstairs, hesitating when I reach his office door. I knock, but there’s no response. I can’t help but sadden at the thought that he won’t even open the door for me. What’s going on inside his head?
“Oliver, talk to me,” I plead, my voice shaking a little.
“I don’t want to talk about it right now, Catherine,” he replies, his tone exasperated. “Please, just leave me alone.”
I’m hurt that he won’t confide in me, but I know pushing him won’t do any good.
I try to wrap my head around what he just revealed to me. Jason was his competition. My mind races with questions and possibilities, but I can’t seem to make sense of it.
I try to calm myself down, telling myself that Oliver’s reaction is just his way of dealing with the situation. But deep down, I can’t shake the feeling of hurt and betrayal. Why didn’t he tell me about this? Was he trying to protect me? Or was he just keeping secrets? Is he angry with me because Jason went after the hotel thanks to our fallout?
I make my way to my bedroom and sit on the edge of my bed. My gaze falls on my phone, still open to the email of my job offer with Jean-Paul.
The offer is too good to refuse–a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work in one of the most iconic cities in the country. But as I consider the possibility of accepting this job, questions swirl around in my head.
Would I be able to leave with no regrets? Would I have the courage to start a new life somewhere far away from home? And would Oliver understand that this is something I need to do for myself?
I put my phone down and lay down on my bed. I sigh heavily, knowing that there will be no simple answers to any of these questions. So instead, I close my eyes and try to forget about everything for a few moments.
The night passes quickly; before I know it, morning sunlight is streaming in through the curtains. As I rub the sleep from my eyes, I remember Oliver’s distant behavior from last night.
I get out of bed and head into Alice’s room, but she isn’t there. When I check downstairs, the house is completely empty.
A wave of worry washes over me in the quiet, empty house. It’s not like Oliver to take off with Alice without a word. He always texts if they’re going out, a small courtesy that means a lot. Their sudden disappearance, without the usual note, makes my heart race. Could they have gone on an unplanned trip, or is something wrong at his work? The silence feels heavy, missing the lively energy they both bring. I can’t shake off the anxiety, and I find myself grabbing my phone, needing to hear Oliver’s reassuring voice that all is okay.
I try to call Oliver, but he doesn’t answer. I swallow the lump in my throat and dial Erica’s number instead. She answers within a few rings.
“Hey, have you heard from your brother today?”
“No, not yet,” Erica replies. “Why, what’s going on?”
“Oliver lost his deal with Jason,” I tell her, sharing what little I know. “He seemed really upset last night, and he didn’t even want to talk to me about it.”
“Oh no, that’s terrible,” she says sympathetically. “I’m sure this whole thing has been hard on both of you.”
“Yeah,” I mumble, feeling helpless as tears well up in my eyes. “It’s my fault that Oliver lost this deal.”
“No, it’s not,” she says firmly. “It’s Jason that is to blame here. Don’t you dare think of blaming yourself for this. It’s his fault, and he should be the one feeling guilty.”
I feel calmer after hearing Erica’s words of assurance.
“Thanks,” I tell her. “I’m going to try Oliver again.”
Although I still worry about Oliver and his current state of mind, and I pray he doesn’t think it’s my fault, either.
Chapter 28
Oliver
“Sowhat’stheplan,Oliver?” Fred asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I’m seated at my desk, still trying to wrap my head around how we lost the deal to Jason.
“I want to see Jason’s proposal,” I finally say, then rise from my seat.
